Player Watch Lachlan McAndrew - Re-Signed to End of 2027

[Pugsley]

Davis mentioned today that McAndrew's performances have brought the best out of ROB.

ROB has had a far better season, particularly of late... so may have a point now that he has decent competition... though should be self-motivated & never get comfortable.

Hate to see how good ROB would be if he could stay on his feet.

 

[Eddie Murphy]

I said it for Strachan so it’s only fair I say it here. Two years unnecessary for a backup ruck unless we’re convinced we couldn’t keep him on a one-year deal. But who else would be offering him two years?

 

[Golumless]

I said it for Strachan so it’s only fair I say it here. Two years unnecessary for a backup ruck unless we’re convinced we couldn’t keep him on a one-year deal. But who else would be offering him two years?

What others are offering are irrelevant. Two years are because the club is happy with McAndrews and don't want to look for other depth options.

 

[Eddie Murphy]

What others are offering are irrelevant. Two years are because the club is happy with McAndrews and don't want to look for other depth options.

But when we’re talking about a depth player why not offer the one year for flexibility sake? Unproven ruck depth are the exact type of player that should be signed year-by-year.

We were just as satisfied with Strachan as depth at the time of his renewal, and the extra year proved unnecessary. I rate McAndrew higher than Strachan but the same principle stands.

 

[Mutineer]

I said it for Strachan so it’s only fair I say it here. Two years unnecessary for a backup ruck unless we’re convinced we couldn’t keep him on a one-year deal. But who else would be offering him two years?

Think you've got this call wrong, he'd be attractive to other AFL teams even if only as decent back up when you consider absolute veterans Tom Campbell, Lachlan O'Keefe, Rhys Stanley, Todd Goldstein are still on lists and guys like Ivan Soldo, Lachlan Blakiston, Harry Barnett, Liam Reidy, Jaime Uhr-Henry, Finnbar Maley, Jordan Sweet, Peter Ladhams, Mate Colina, Oliver Hayes-Brown are all on AFL lists. IMO I've seen enough of Lachlan McAndrew to safely say given his age he has a better future than most of those guys.

 

[1990crow]

Pretty happy for this guy to be the backup. Far better than Strachan.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Pretty happy for this guy to be the backup. Far better than Strachan.

Would have liked to see us play him at AFL level before the extension.

Pleased we have him, but why not check out what he has to offer first?

 

[Eddie Murphy]

Think you've got this call wrong, he'd be attractive to other AFL teams even if only as decent back up when you consider absolute veterans Tom Campbell, Lachlan O'Keefe, Rhys Stanley, Todd Goldstein are still on lists and guys like Ivan Soldo, Lachlan Blakiston, Harry Barnett, Liam Reidy, Jaime Uhr-Henry, Finnbar Maley, Jordan Sweet, Peter Ladhams, Mate Colina, Oliver Hayes-Brown are all on AFL lists. IMO I've seen enough of Lachlan McAndrew to safely say given his age he has a better future than most of those guys.

If he was sought after, then I’m happy giving him the two years. You make a fair point about where he’d sit among other ruck depth. However, we seem to have a tendency giving multi-year deals to fringe players that we can safely assume don’t have other suitors (Cook and Strachan come to mind). As someone who criticised the Strachan deal it’d be hypocritical to not call this one out too.

 

[Mutineer]

If he was sought after, then I’m happy giving him the two years. You make a fair point about where he’d sit among other ruck depth. However, we seem to have a tendency giving multi-year deals to fringe players that we can safely assume don’t have other suitors (Cook and Strachan come to mind). As someone who criticised the Strachan deal it’d be hypocritical to not call this one out too.

The big difference re Strachan is we kept extending him a number of times instead of looking elsewhere or developing a youngster, this blokes only been with us less than a year and it seems pretty obvious Strachan won't be on our list next year and there are some doubts ROB won't be either..

 

[Eddie Murphy]

The big difference re Strachan is we kept extending him a number of times instead of looking elsewhere or developing a youngster, this blokes only been with us less than a year and it seems pretty obvious Strachan won't be on our list next year and there are some doubts ROB won't be either..

The difference is also that if the only way we could keep Cook and Strachan was by giving them two years, I’d let them walk. I’d sign McAndrew for two years if it was the only way we could get him to stay. But Strachan and Cook are two examples that suggest we may have given him the extra year because we don’t like one-year deals (Bond, for whatever reason, being the exception).

 

[Greenfinger]

Davis mentioned today that McAndrew's performances have brought the best out of ROB.

ROB has had a far better season, particularly of late... so may have a point now that he has decent competition... though should be self-motivated & never get comfortable.

Great but getting tired of hearing ROB needs motivation to perform. Either competition on his spot or his contract extension. Needs to stay at the level he’s currently playing at . Sometimes seems he can’t wait to get back to mediocrity

 

[Vader]

Would have liked to see us play him at AFL level before the extension.

Pleased we have him, but why not check out what he has to offer first?

Because they've already seen half a season of him in his primary role - backup ruckman playing 95% of his games in the SANFL?

 

[spenze]

Would have liked to see us play him at AFL level before the extension.

Pleased we have him, but why not check out what he has to offer first?

He hasn't got games experience to be getting a game in the firsts

 

[1970crow]

Great but getting tired of hearing ROB needs motivation to perform. Either competition on his spot or his contract extension. Needs to stay at the level he’s currently playing at . Sometimes seems he can’t wait to get back to mediocrity

Our selection philosophies enable it.

 

[1970crow]

Think you've got this call wrong, he'd be attractive to other AFL teams even if only as decent back up when you consider absolute veterans Tom Campbell, Lachlan O'Keefe, Rhys Stanley, Todd Goldstein are still on lists and guys like Ivan Soldo, Lachlan Blakiston, Harry Barnett, Liam Reidy, Jaime Uhr-Henry, Finnbar Maley, Jordan Sweet, Peter Ladhams, Mate Colina, Oliver Hayes-Brown are all on AFL lists. IMO I've seen enough of Lachlan McAndrew to safely say given his age he has a better future than most of those guys.

You reckon his SANFL season has catapulted him up to AFL worthy? Every club had the opportunity to grab him and we only did because injury removed all our backup options.

 

[Mutineer]

He hasn't got games experience to be getting a game in the firsts

Well he did better than Strachan vs Nankervis who managed 13 hit outs to Nankervis's 43 last year when he played the lead ruck for the Swans in 2023 against Todd Goldstein. Goldstein 45 hit outs vs McAndrew 20.

 

[Mutineer]

You reckon his SANFL season has catapulted him up to AFL worthy? Every club had the opportunity to grab him and we only did because injury removed all our backup options.

Definitely as AFL back up yes, and I guess we'll find out if ROB gets an injury. Skills wise and follow up wise he's looked levels above the SANFL rucks who I recognise aren't that good but he's absolutely dominated them.

 

[spenze]

Well he did better than Strachan vs Nankervis who managed 13 hit outs to Nankervis's 43 last year when he played the lead ruck for the Swans in 2023 against Todd Goldstein. Goldstein 45 hit outs vs McAndrew 20.

I'm just taking the piss out of our default experience selection policy. I have little doubt he is a step up on Strachan who could be accused of getting a little too comfortable as a second banana and would really like us to get him in for a game before seasons end, mainly just to give him an idea of what sort of step up he needs to make.

I believe we would be better off having a second ruck you could trust to take a game or two during the year to give Rob a rest so he doesn't come into the finals series knackered.

 

[1970crow]

I'm just taking the piss out of our default experience selection policy. I have little doubt he is a step up on Strachan who could be accused of getting a little too comfortable as a second banana and would really like us to get him in for a game before seasons end, mainly just to give him an idea of what sort of step up he needs to make.

I believe we would be better off having a second ruck you could trust to take a game or two during the year to give Rob a rest so he doesn't come into the finals series knackered.

Surely we could rest ROB on our trip to Perth. If only it wouldn’t be disrespectful and ROB didn’t thrive on continuity and huge workload.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Because they've already seen half a season of him in his primary role - backup ruckman playing 95% of his games in the SANFL?

Wouldn't be hard to see his other role... playing AFL if ROB isn't available for at least a game... before making the decision.

Strachan dominated SANFL but was found not to have tank for AFL.

Reckon McAndrew will be better, but why guess?

 

[Mutineer]

Wouldn't be hard to see his other role... playing AFL if ROB isn't available for at least a game... before making the decision.

Strachan dominated SANFL but was found not to have tank for AFL.

Reckon McAndrew will be better, but why guess?

Reid and the coaching staff have the advantage of having seen the one on one battles at training and in match sims between ROB and McAndrew. not to mention is 209cm and god knows his wingspan.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Reid and the coaching staff have the advantage of having seen the one on one battles at training and in match sims between ROB and McAndrew. not to mention is 209cm and god knows his wingspan.

They did also when they extended Strachan...

 

[Mutineer]

They did also when they extended Strachan...

Yeah, well now they also have the advantage of matching up McAndrew with Strachan don't they?

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Yeah, well now they also have the advantage of matching up McAndrew with Strachan don't they?

The best proof is playing McAndrew in an actual game.

There is no reason why we couldn't have managed ROB for a game this season.

 

[Mutineer]

The best proof is playing McAndrew in an actual game.

There is no reason why we couldn't have managed ROB for a game this season.

Why?

It's obvious we are targeting a lead ruck to replace ROB and ROB is our fall back option in that scenario.

McAndrew wouldn't need to do much if called upon to do better than Strachan IMO.

What we really need to do is put time into developing a 18 -19 year old ruck and who knows we might develop a Rowan Marshall, Sam Jacobs or Lloyd Meek off the rookie list